The sturdy headland that protects San Diego’s extensive harbor from the open Pacific Ocean, Point Loma has long been occupied by the military, whose many fences, radio towers, and gun emplacements all seem to disappear at the very tip, where the Cabrillo National Monument (daily 9 am–5 pm; $5 per car; 619/557-5450) protects a breathtaking 150 acres of cliffs and tidepools. Set aside in 1913 to remember the efforts of Portuguese sailor Juan Cabrillo, who explored the California coast in 1542, there’s also an old lighthouse, some nice trails, and a visitors center describing the whole shebang.
San Diego is at the southern end of our Pacific Coast road trip.
